Somehow
by Tori9226
Summary: ***SPOILERS FOR ROGUE ONE*** A different ending for C & J.


**SPOILERS IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN ROGUE ONE.**  
Obviously I don't own Star Wars. I just wanted some more time with these amazing characters. The movie was beautiful, and I knew what would happen in the end. But I can dream that C & J got away.

* * *

Was this what death felt like? Surely it would be more painful than this? He felt a dull ache throughout his body, centered in his back. Probably from the fall, he thought. He felt like he was drifting; floating just beneath the surface of the water. He could hear muffled sounds around him, but could only see darkness. _Cassian._ He knew that voice. It was hers. Jyn. She was dead too? Of course. The light on the beach. They were together. She was in his arms. Of course she had died too.

The plans! Had the Rebellion received them? Surely the shield had come down. He vaguely remembered an explosion in the sky before Jyn transmitted the plans.

Cassian heard his name again. And Jyn's. But this voice was unfamiliar. Suddenly he was moving through the darkness. The sounds were changing from a low roar in the distance to panicked, rushed cries. He could hear an engine reaching full power, then the tremble of a ship hitting light speed before slipping back into nothingness.

Eventually he found his way back to semi-consciousness. It was still dark, and the dull ache was stronger. But around him he could hear the annoying beeping of medical equipment. Had he somehow survived? Did that mean Jyn had survived as well? Cassian fought like hell, swimming to the surface of the hellish black hole he was in. The beeping got louder, and even more irritating. The dull ache was becoming more pronounced. But he could feel the surface. Soon, he was blinking open his eyes. The light was blinding, like being back on that beach. But instead of a ball of fire on the horizon, he was back on the rebel base in intensive care.

He sat up, but immediately regretted it. Pain shot through his back like a blaster shot. The medical droid started to list his injuries, but he sent it away. His eyes were on the bed next to his. It was odd seeing Jyn without a weapon strapped to her hip. She had a large gash cutting across her forehead, and her right arm was wrapped in bandages. But other than that, she seemed okay. Cassian looked down at his own body. His left leg was wrapped. He could feel bandages wrapped around his torso underneath his shirt. The initial sharp pain was fading back to a dull ache.

"Jyn." He didn't realize he'd spoken out loud until her eyes fluttered open.

"Cassian? You're okay?" He heard a twinge of fear in her voice, like she also didn't believe they were both alive.

"We both are. A bit banged up, but alive. Somehow."

She sat up, clutching her forehead.

"It goes away after a minute. Whatever they gave us seems to be helping."

"How did we get back here?"

"You were found on the beach."

Cassian and Jyn looked up to see Senator Mon Mothma entering their room.

"The last remaining ship on the ground saw you on the beach. The initial shockwave from the Death Star knocked you both unconscious. The crew was able to get you on board and make it out in time."

They sat in silence, both afraid to ask the obvious question.

"Two others were saved as well, but we were unable to find the rest of your crew. I'm sorry."

Cassian was silent for a moment. He could feel Jyn's worried glance sweep over him. She hadn't known most of the men on board. He had fought alongside them for most of his life. He would grieve later. There was one other important question to ask.

"What about the Death Star plans, Senator?"

"We received the transmission. However, the ship they were on was attacked shortly after receiving it. Princess Leia was captured, though she is alive. We've intercepted multiple transmissions from the Empire. She's being held as Darth Vader's prisoner. Somehow, she was able to get the plans onto a droid. They haven't figured out which one, though we are confident it is an R-2 unit. That droid has worked beside her for many years."

"Do we know where the droid is?" Jyn asked.

"At the moment, no. But we've got a strong lead to follow. We will find it. Thanks to your courage – your hope – we now stand a chance in this war. And for that, we are forever in your debt. I'll leave you two for now. Rest. Call on a droid if you need anything."

Cassian felt the tears coming. Kay-Tu was gone. The crew. His friends. He squeezed his eyes shut, willing the tears not to fall. Jyn must've noticed, because he heard her move to sit beside him. Her arm brushed against his as she placed her hand on his knee.

"Cassian … I'm so sorry."

Her voice and her touch helped him relax. Taking a deep breath, he opened his eyes again.

"It's okay. The mission was a success. The plans were transmitted. We won."

Her grip tightened on his knee. He found it odd that he knew what she was saying with that gesture. They'd known each other for such a short time. How was it he felt so close to her?

"Thank you," she said quietly. "You saved my life on Scarif."

"And you saved mine," he hooked a finger under her chin, tilting her face up to his. "You saved both of us. I should be thanking you."

He brushed the hair back from her face, brushing his fingers against her cheek before letting it fall back to his side. Moments from the fight on Scarif flashed through his mind. Kay-Tu sacrificing himself to save them. Falling from the archive tower. Waking up to the sounds of war echoing outside. The pain coursing through him as he fought his way to the transmission point. His relief when he saw that she survived. Their kiss in the elevator. Collapsing on the beach. Holding her when he thought they were about to die. He wondered if she was remembering too.

"The crew saved us all," she corrected him. "If they hadn't gotten a message to the fleet, we'd all be dead."

He couldn't argue with that.

"So what happens now?" Jyn asked.

"I don't know," he sighed. "Judging from what the droid told me earlier, I won't be fighting for a while. When I fell, my back took a nasty hit from one of those steel beams. Looks like you've got a broken arm. We'll both heal soon."

She was silent; back to staring at her hand covering his knee. Once again, he tilted her face up towards his. But this time, he placed a soft kiss on her lips. He was about to pull away, but she leaned into him, deepening the kiss with her tongue. He placed his hand on the back of her neck, tangling the tips of his fingers in her hair.

He whispered her name as he pulled away, resting his forehead against hers. His hand remained against the back of her neck, softly stroking her skin. "Thank you for staying with me on the beach."

"I wasn't leaving without you."

"Will you stay with me now?"

She simply smiled. He leaned back onto the bed, opening his arm for her to lay beside him. She curled up to his side, resting her head gently on his shoulder. He kissed the top of her head and held her tightly. Rouge One was gone; they were all that was left. It didn't seem entirely fair, but he was glad she was at least by his side. He felt torn between grief for the crew, and relief that Jyn had survived.

Somehow, they made it.

Somehow, Rogue One had won.


End file.
